Plant variety of davidia involucrata named &#39;purpleleaf&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new plant variety of  Davidia involucrata  distinguished from its parents and all other varieties of  Davidia involucrata  of which I am aware by the dark burgundy colored foliage in spring through leaf abscission in fall.

BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION

Davidia involucrata (Baill.)

VARIETAL NAME

‘Purpleleaf’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Davidiainvolucrata, which was developed in a controlled breeding program inKawaguchi City, Japan, by the originator Mr. Akira Shibamichi. Thevarietal denomination of the new variety is ‘Purpleleaf’.

The genus Davidia is included in the family Davidiaceae, which comprisesone genus and one species originating in Western China. Davidiainvolucrata is uncommon in its native habit of Western China. Itgenerally has a habit of a 20 meter tall deciduous tree with a dominantcentral leader, branches thick, glabrous. Leaf color is green, dependingon light intensity and cultural conditions. Leaves are generally broadlyovate, 8 to 24 cms long, cordate at base, dentate, glossy and glabrousabove, densely gray tomentose beneath. Petioles are 4 to 5 cms long,red, flowers are about 2 cm wide, surrounded by 2 opposite, unevensized, 8 to 16 cm long, pendulous, yellowish white involucral leaves.Plant blooms May to June on older, mature specimens often more than 20years in age. Fruits are ellipsoid, about 2.5 cms long.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety was discovered as an open pollinated seedling in acontrolled planting of Davidia involucrata. The new variety differs fromits parents in bearing dark burgundy colored foliage in spring andcontinuing through leaf abscission in fall. Asexual reproduction of thenew variety in Kawaguchi City, Japan by grafting has confirmed that thedistinctive characteristics of the new variety are stable and reproducedtrue to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTS

‘Purpleleaf’ is distinguished from its parents and all other varietiesof Davidia involucrata of which I am aware, including the specificvariety, Davidia involucrata var. Vilmoriniana (not patented) by thedark burgundy colored foliage in spring through leaf abscission in fall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIONS

The accompanying illustrations show a specimen of the new cultivar in aphoto illustration as true to color as is reasonably possible to make inan illustration of this character.

FIG. 1 illustrates the distinctive foliage of the new variety

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

‘Purpleleaf’ has not been observed under all possible environmental,cultural and light conditions. The following observations anddescriptions are of plants grown in Kawaguchi City, Japan and Vacaville,Calif. In this description, color references are to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (2002) and terminology used in thecolor descriptions herein refers to plate numbers in this color chart.Phenotypic expression may vary with light intensity, cultural andenvironmental conditions.

-   Classification:    -   -   Botanical.—Davidia involucrata (Baill.) ‘Purpleleaf’        -   Parentage.—Mother Plant: Davidia involucrata (unnamed,            unpatented) Father Plant: Davidia involucrata (unnamed,            unpatented).        -   Propagation.—Grafting.-   Plant:    -   -   Typical size.—20 meters tall.        -   Observed size.—1.5 meters tall.        -   Habit.—Upright, pyramidal.-   Branches:    -   -   Lateral branches.—8 to 10.        -   Size.—Diameter: Base 10 to 20 mms; Apex 2-3 mms Color: Near            Grey-Brown Group N199A Texture: Glabrous Color of New            Shoots: Near Brown Group 200B-C.-   Leaf:    -   -   Shape.—Broadly ovate Base: Cordate to dentate Apex:            Acuminate.        -   Leaf size.—8 to 14 cms long and 5 to 8 cms wide.        -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture/Substance.—Glossy and glabrous above and densely            tomentose beneath.        -   Color.—Young Foliage: Upper side: Near Purple Group 79A-B            Mature Foliage: Upper side: Near 79B with slight coloration            of Green Group 136C.        -   Venation.—Pattern: Upper Surface Impressed.        -   Petioles.—Size: 7.5 cms long; 1 to 2 mm wide Color: Near            Brown Group 200B Texture: Smooth.        -   Internodes.—3 to 8 cms.        -   Hardiness.—USDA Zone 5 (−20° F. to −10° F.).        -   Vigor.—Moderate.        -   Pests/Diseases.—None noted.-   Inflorescence: None yet observed.

1. A new and distinct Davidia involucrata plant of the varietysubstantially as shown and described.